Which tube color is drawn second in the standard order of draw?

Prepare for the CAMLPR Specimen Collection Competency Test. Practice with diverse question sets including multiple-choice and flashcards. Each question includes hints and explanations to help you become proficient before the exam.

Understanding the order of draw is about protecting sample integrity and preventing additive cross-over between tubes. After the initial blood-culture tube, the next tube in this standard sequence is a serum tube (red or gold). Serum tubes are designed to yield serum without introducing anticoagulants that could affect other tests, and they are compatible with many chemistry and serology assays. Placing a serum tube second helps preserve the accuracy of both the blood culture and subsequent tests. Light-blue tubes contain sodium citrate and are used for coagulation studies; drawing them second could risk carryover that would skew results. Green tubes contain heparin for plasma testing and are drawn after serum tubes. Since the first tube is the blood culture, the serum tube color serving as the second draw aligns with minimizing contamination and preserving test validity, which is why gold/red is the best answer.